𝐇𝐇 𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐆𝐔𝐈𝐃𝐄 - Hazbin Hotel

Meeting or Punishment?

Husk fell backwards into the wall with a bodily thud before catching himself onto his knees on the ground below. He doubled over and gripped his claws into the carpet, scowling down at the ugly patterns embroidered into it.

He chances a look up through his eyebrows straight into the eyes of the radio demon standing before him. The other stared down at him with a look that could almost be described as disgust mixed with a splash of pity. Not much, though.

The deer neatly rapped his cane against the floor twice, the soft taps opposing the way his face contorts to show his anger. Though his signature smile was still planted on his person, his eyebrows were furrowed and his gumline was showing; two signs that he was absolutely pissed.

"Husker, need I remind you just where exactly you stand?" Alastor almost sing-songs, approaching where the other knelt on the floor. With each step, the air around Husk seemed to get heavier. Tendrils shot from the floor and seemed to spill from every crevice behind Alastor as he got closer.

He makes his final step toward the cowering cat and gets down on one knee, similar to the way people do when they propose. He reached foward and grabbed Husk's chin roughly, tilting his head up to face him fully.

"Perhaps you need to be muzzled?" Alastor asks, sliding his thumb against Husk's bottom lip. Husk watches the way Alastor's eyes flick down to follow the movement.

At that, Husk shakes his head quickly, jostling the hand that gripped his chin. Alastor tsks at that before pulling his hand away and wiping it on his coat. It's as if he were disgusted to have touched Husk, though he was the one who had initiated the contact in the first place.

"You may say no but your actions speak otherwise," Alastor spat at the other. He shot the barkeep a particularly nasty look, "Someday you will have to learn how to behave properly. It's truly a shame."

Alastor considered the other, who was practically a lump of humiliated feline on the floor. He tapped his chin thoughtfully, "Perhaps I could be to blame, hm?"

At that, Husk whips his head back up to get a good look at the demon. He blinked at him, confused. Where was this sudden self-reflection coming from?

Instantly, he's proven wrong.

"Yes, that must be it. Maybe I just haven't done a good enough job training you," Alastor claims, swirling his cane in his left hand thoughtfully.

Husk's ears flatten against his head and he scowls. Yeah, he should've known better. Alastor isn't exactly one to regret his actions probably ever, even when he was alive on Earth.

"Fix your face, darling!" Alastor chirps while two black tendrils rise from the floor and grab one of Husk's wrists each. Husk inhales sharply through his teeth in shock, the tentacles keeping him firmly locked to the floor. "You always look so much better with a smile."

Husk frowns at that, choosing to look at Alastor's shoes rather than to keep staring at that taunting, unwavering grin. His tail flicks behind him, expressing his aggravation. Alastor notices this and hums outwardly, "My! didn't like that, Husker?"

Sensing the aggression in Alastor's voice, Husk is quick to backtrack. "No, boss. I--"

"You should know very well by now that sucking up to me will do you no good," Alastor interrupts him bluntly. "Again, I find actions to be much more telling."

Husk feels another tendril wrap around his tail before its jerked upwards and away from his body, almost lifting his entire bottom half off the floor. He gasps and tries to gain balance with his hands but they're firmly held in place by the other tentacles.